I think what Starfox is getting at (though I'm not saying he is correct), is the question of whether comments and feedback given in this forum are given any "weight" as compared to the surveys. Aka does providing feedback in the forums matter, or are the designers really just looking at the surveys and that is what is driving their decisions.
I remember asking Mike about it before I started my nitty gritty threads, and he mentioned that the surveys were the main feedback mechanism but that some of the designers are reading these threads and looking at comments/feedback, so that's what I have assumed with the threads I make. Of course, just because someone reads your thoughts doesn't mean they will agree